August 23, 2008
Tomas asked me if I wanted to check out some of the music scene two nights ago and I jumped at the chance. After a traditional Peruvian dinner (I finally tried the cuy, which is ground hog) at the hip bistro, Aray Quipa (allegedly the Incas stopped on this spot 500 years ago and said,"Yes, (Aray) this spot will do (quipa)¨, or something like that.) Kathy went back to our B&B while Tomas and I walked down to the club district, not far from the main plaza.

The problem was, it was only nine o´clock and all the clubs were empty because it´s too early. So Tomas picked the one most likely to start early, which turned out to be Swedish Avenue, a clever name, not a location. The club is actually on San Francisco. The club was long and narrow with an arced ceiling that gave it a look not unlike the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool where the Beatles started out. The walls were lined with black and white photos of all the rock n' roll saints and like most saints worshipped in this arena they are long dead. John Lennon, George Harrison, Elvis, Freddie Mercury, Marilyn Monroe, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain, the latter having a cutline that reads, "I hate my life and I want to die."

Comforting words from the late lead singer and saint of Nirvana.

Lots of pretty girls came in, in pairs and sat next to us. Several made eyes at Tommy and I'm not bragging, but I think it's safe to say, I personally sucked the hipness factor out of the room by at least 20%.

The all Peruvian band straggled in at about ten thirty and didn't start playing until eleven. All their songs were in English and they were an excellent cover band. I recognized a couple Oasis songs and a couple Coldplay tunes, and a U2 ditty, but I wondered when and if they would honor the saints on the wall. Finally, on the last song of the first set, they played "I'm A Believer" by The Monkees.

It was muy fantastico and I'm not even a Monkees fan.

Oh, and they played that rock song from the nineties where the chorus goes, "Turn your head, girl, just spit it out," which Kathy has always hated because she thinks it's about fellatio.

I laughed and hobbled home at midnite.